Lessons Learned Through Love
by batman-defeats-all
Summary: A one-shot collection of lessons taught to Bruce through his sons. Includes Dick, Jason, and Tim.


**Please note: Jason will be in this story. A lot.  
**

**I do not own Young Justice.**

Birthdays used to be one of Bruce Wayne's least favorite events. They were always so high strung, and not one of the most necessary celebrations (if asked, he'd say most were unnecessary, but that is besides the point). Whenever he was invited to some high class celebration that had to do with birthdays, he avoided them like the plague, making some excuse as for why he could not go and just going on patrol instead.

Then, Dick came into his life.

The first birthday Bruce had with Dick was not looked forward to by Bruce, as he expected it to be just like all the others. However, the events of that day was enough to make him actually start to look forward to at least one birthday.

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"Bruce! Bruce! Wake up!"

Bruce Wayne groaned, turning away from the loud noise at his bedroom door. The young boy who had caused the ruckus frowned at the man when he blatantly ignored him. Deciding to take a more direct approach, the child ran up to the large bed and jumped on top of Bruce.

"Get up! It's a special day, remember?"

Despite the fact that Dick was quite small and barely made any impact on his much larger body, the boy's yelling directly next to his ear was enough to wake Bruce up.

"Dick? What are you doing?"

A cute pout rested on Dick's features as he spoke.

"You need to get up, Bruce! Don't you remember what day it is?"

"... Tuesday?"

Dick looked at the man oddly before speaking again, exasperated.

"No, Bruce! It's my birthday!"

The hero had to contain his groan. He had forgotten that Dick's birthday was so soon; if Alfred hadn't made him get the boy's presents two weeks ago, he probably would have forgotten to pick even one up.

That would have ended badly...

Bruce slowly sat up, and gently picked up his young ward and set him on the ground next to his bed.

"You head downstairs to breakfast, and I'll be down in a minute with your presents, okay?"

The now nine-year-old squealed happily, running out of the room and thundering down the staircase. Though Bruce couldn't help but smile at the happiness his ward showed, he was still not looking forward to this mini-party Alfred was forcing him to have for Dick. It was only the three of them, but it was so much for such a small thing...

Grabbing the large pile of presents, he headed downstairs. He knew Dick would like all of them, but there was one particular gift that he had a feeling the child would adore. It would be the only highlight of the day, surely.

His mind was changed almost instantly when he saw the bright, smiling face of Dick sitting next to his birthday cake, nearly jumping up and down in his seat. Though the boy was almost always happy, he just seemed twice as so... just because it was his birthday.

Maybe they weren't so bad after all...

As Dick tore through the presents, he hugged Bruce in thanks after every single one. His grin seemed to have doubled by the time he had opened them all.

"Thanks Bruce! They are all awesome!"

A light smile graced the man's features as he pulled a final wrapped box from behind his back.

"Are you sure that was it?"

Dick quickly grabbed the box, and ripped the wrapping paper off. As he opened the package, his smile was replaced by a look of shock.

"Is-is..."

"Your costume for being my partner? Yes, it is Dick."

Soon the smile was back and bigger than ever, and the child's small arms were wrapped around Bruce's neck.

"Thank you so much Bruce! I was worried you would never let me help because I thought I was doing bad in training but thank you so so so so so so so so much!"

The older hero looked surprised himself at first, but soon smiled lovingly at the boy, and wrapped his arms around the small body.

Birthdays weren't that bad at all...

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Bruce started to love birthdays, or at least Dick's, until the boy became a young man and left the manor. Once again, the hero felt resentment towards birthday celebrations, though now because they reminded him of what he had lost by trying to protect someone who could take care of themselves.

Then Jason came along into his life.

Birthdays suddenly seemed okay again.

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As Bruce walked into the dining room, the first thing he saw was Jason staring slightly interested at a large cake sitting in front of him. At first, the man was confused as to why there would be a cake at breakfast.

When he realized today was Jason's twelfth birthday.

He tried not let the slight embarrassment he felt for forgetting something so big show on his face as he sat down next to his ward and partner.

"So... Happy birthday, Jason."

The boy grunted in response, looking at the presents Alfred had brought down. The butler walked in when he saw Bruce had entered, and soon had cut a piece of cake for both of them.

"Now that Master Bruce is here, you may open your presents, Master Jason."

Smirking slightly, Jason started ripping the paper off the presents violently, grinning wickedly at the various remote-controlled cars and Nerf guns (Bruce's eyes had been twitching slightly when he bought the toy guns). When the presents were all opened, the boy pushed his chair back to leave when Alfred came in, a package in hand.

"Master Jason, there is still the gift that was sent to you from Master Dick."

Jason rose an eyebrow at the box as he opened it.

The shock on his features as he looked inside reminded Bruce of when Dick had opened up his last present on that first birthday- what could his oldest son send to Jason that would make the boy so surprised?

Jason slowly pulled out the contents of the box, revealing a soft-looking teddy bear wearing a Robin costume. Bruce stared at the bear, not quite believing what he was seeing.

"Pfft... Why would Golden Boy get me some dumb bear?" Jason said, though he was staring into space while he spoke, "It's not like I'll ever use it..."

However, that night, when Bruce came in to check on Jason to make sure he was asleep and not listening to music or playing with his presents, he saw the boy clutching the bear tightly to his chest.

He smiled as he gently closed the door, not wanting to wake his son.

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And thus, Bruce found a purpose to birthdays again. This purpose was shattered, though, when Jason died. He was sure he would never find the celebrations happy at all ever again.

However, then Tim forced himself into the family.

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For once, Bruce made sure he remembered when Tim's birthday was. He was completely ready when he walked downstairs that moment.

He wasn't prepared to see Tim look so nervous, though.

"Tim... What's wrong?"

The boy didn't look at him while he answered.

"Well... You're going out of your way to do this, and you really shouldn't have to, and because of me Dick has to run the business for the whole day, and he hates doing that, and you said you would spend the night with me also, but then you can't go on patrol, and Dick and Babs will have to do it by themselves and something might happen, and it would be all my fault, and-"

Bruce interrupted the nervous rant by doing something he usually would not. He wasn't even completely sure what overcame him.

A hug from the almost always serious Bruce surely stopped Tim's fear.

"Tim, it is your birthday; that is all that matters to me right now. This day is about you."

As Tim smiled at Bruce hopefully, the man knew he was telling the complete truth.

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Bruce had hated birthdays. Then three little Robins came into his life and changed all that.


End file.
